Wandering Soul
by CrescentCrow
Summary: Kikyo has little purpose left in the world. She wanders the land, aimlessly trailing in the footsteps of forsaken love, Inu yasha. But misery can quickly turn to rage, and rage can lead to disaster...Especially with the Wind Witch plotting in the darkness
1. Moonlit Nightmares

There you were. My breath caught in my throat at the sight of you both…together. It was a beautifully clear mid-summer's night. I was … _surprised_ to find you so far in the woods. You had taken up camp near a large lake overhung by the graceful green branches of the thick forest trees. I watched you…an odd assortment in truth, but the closest of friends. You all argued in playful ways…you readied a fire for nightfall but I could tell you wouldn't need it. But maybe I was wrong…it did not seem cold to me, but I probably had grown used to it by now. I was cold in more ways then one… Yet as night drew near and the clouds parted to reveal a ravishing moon…you pulled her aside. She was pretty, I will admit. She had that sparkle of life in her eyes that just made you stare… I think my eyes must have looked like that too, before… Her hair had a natural curve to it where as mine was straight and long. She seemed a few years younger then us…well then we _used _to be. And she was cheerful. She looked at you with an innocent glow of curiosity. You smiled shyly. I dragged my eyes down. You used to give me that smile… Now you led her away from the others…out to the beach. The moon shone protectively over the water, the breeze was cool and soft, and the fireflies hovered around in the darkness. I drew in a gasp. My, how the world was still so beautiful. I guess I had forgotten.

I hid in the trees, far out of sight. I had been following you with great distance…I know I shouldn't of. I should have gone far away. But I just couldn't! You were my everything then, and you're all I have now. It couldn't be changed; believe me I'd tried. Now you take her hand up in your own. I remember those hands. So menacing to the eyes, with their deadly claws, yet no matter how strong, they were gentle. I rubbed my own hand…I could sense how cold it must be…how _dead_. But I forced my eyes back on you. You were speaking to her. I moved slightly closer so I could catch your words. "Kagome, I just want you to know…that what happened last time won't happen again." I frowned. Last time? What was he talking about? I leaned in to make sure I heard correctly. "I should have been watching you better. That demon could have killed you! I was too worried over the dumb shards." He looked down with guilt. "No, Inu yasha! I'm ok, don't feel bad." She comforted him. He smiled slightly and brought her closer to him. "But I promise, from now on, I'm not going to let anything happen to you. I'll protect you always…" If my heart had been beating in my chest it would have surely stopped now.

I closed my eyes and tried to block out the world. He had said those same words to me…. oh how long ago it had been. The tears began to slip slowly down my face. No, no, no…how can this be? How can you say that? How can you promise your protection to her after swearing it to me? How can you give your love to her so freely when I _died_ for it! I wiped the tears away half-heartedly and drew my sad eyes back to the couple on the moonlit beach. "Oh, Inu yasha. Thank you." They held each other close. I remember when you held _me _like that. You had leaned in and whisperer to me, "I'll hold you until the day that I die". But here you were. You were still alive! And I was alone. But then…_I_ was dead, wasn't I. And who would give their love to the dead. I turned from the scene that tore so fiercely at my soul and disappeared into the shadows.

On the outside I was a wreck. The tears just would not stop, no matter what I did. But inside a flame was igniting. Anger. Pure and justified rage. He promised me his love. He swore he would always be there. I pounded my fist on the tree and my sobs broke loose from inside. "Why, why Inu yasha?" I cried into my fists. Silently and stealthily the soul stealing demons drew near in the cooling night. They wound their way beside me and I sighed in small comfort. I let them lift me into the strong branches of a nearby willow. They gracefully swooped and swirled around me and I smiled shakily. I had to keep it together. I still had purpose in this cruel world. I struggled to find sleep, and even when I did, dog demons and jewels haunted it.


	2. Double the Trouble: Enter Kagura

Morning broke over the forest. Birds sang through the wood their joyous songs of summer as they darted through the branches overhead. The sunrise was a glorious gold and there was little clouds to mar the gentle sky above. The first rays of sunlight crept through the willow's leaves and brought warmth to my face. I opened my eyes and squinted in the morning light. The soul stealers were gone…as they always were when daylight came, I didn't mind. Instead I carefully found my way out of the tree. I thought about where to go and decided that the river connecting to the lake would be the most convenient place to get water. Just because this body held no warmth did not mean it did not get dirty. I smiled at my own dark sarcasm. As I neared the river a sound reached my ears. I quickly hid myself in the brush and peered out to the river. There I saw Kagome and the demon slayer…her name had escaped me in my surprise. They were bathing, Kagome in her strange water clothes and the slayer in her undergarments. I then noticed the small fox demon sat on the riverbank watching them with a childish smile. Inu yasha and the monk were obviously not invited. I listened as they spoke of their destination. A wealthy town farther north had sent word of a dangerous demon killing their villagers. They suspected a shard and we're going to help the villagers and claim the jewel. I felt the sting of pain in my shoulder and rubbed it warily. Oh, how I despised that jewel, and yet I worshiped it…No, if it weren't for the jewel, I would have never met Inu yasha. But as I considered all that had happened…maybe that would have been better? I sighed and shook my head. Not at all, I was fooling myself again. My life would lack meaning without him…yet these girls spoke as if their journey were a vacation of sorts.

I sighed once again and hurried myself away from the stream. Already I had started to feel the anger well up inside me and I thought it best to get away. Yet I must not have used enough caution in my retreat, for the little kitsune turned his head in my direction. Thankfully he did not know what he had seen. However it was enough to make him shout them a warning and thus, draw them out of the river. I increased my pace. After last night I did not trust myself to handle a meeting with this clone of myself. I broke into a run and headed south, away from the lake. I would find a pond, or perhaps another stream…still, my thoughts found there way creeping back to that girl. She was my reincarnation, according to my now aged sister. I could not help but _despise_ her. The mere thought of her made my hands tighten on my bow until my knuckles were white with tension. I stormed through the woods. Something had to be done….

…………….

Elsewhere another maiden rested in the branches of an old cherry tree. Its leaves hung down with age and swung gently in the morning breeze. This girl wore a dazzling kimono of white and red; her hair was tied up with clips and feathers. Earrings hung from her pointed ears and her eyes were a dazzling shade of crimson. She looked on dreamily and inspected her precious fan without really seeing it. She went over the same thoughts she always had. Mostly plans to overthrow her master, rants about her emotionless sister's stupidity in her lack of rebellion, and her favorite, what she would do if she acquired her freedom.

A buzzing outside her tree awoke her from her thoughts. She looked irritably up at the wasp that hovered overhead. "Get out of here. I know what I have to do. I can take a break if that is what I wish." The annoying buzzing did not end. She brought her gaze up to the bug and anger burned in burned in her crimson eyes. "Fine, have it your way." With a flick of her fan the wasp fell to the ground in two halves. She smiled despite the annoyance that still hung around her. She sighed a little and sat up on the branch to look towards the sunrise in the distance. Soon she must once again continue her seemingly endless search for Inu yasha and the jewel shards. She knew another wasp would be on her again about not doing her job but the breeze was wonderful and the tree was just too tempting. She put back her head and closed her eyes, letting back in her dreams of sweet freedom.


End file.
